Butcher&#39;s chopping-block.



No. 855,347. PATBNTED MAY 28,1907.A

F. J. SCHMITT.

BUTGHERS CHOPING BLOCK. APPLIGATION PIL'gD PEB. 1s. 1907.

FREDERICK J SCHMITT, OF PETOSKEY, MICHIGAN.

BUTCHERS CHOPPING-BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Application filed February 18, 1907. Serial No. 358,062.

To all whom it 11i/ay concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. SCHMITT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Petoskey, in the county of Emmet and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ButchersChopping-Blocks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates-to improvements in butchers chopping blocks, andis primarily designed to produce a chopping block which will be reducedin weight and yet at the same time will be very strong and sufficientlyheavy for all purposes and rigidly supported against wabbling. It isfound to be a great disa vantage in the manufacture of these blocks thatthe weight of the normal block is so great that tthe freight in shippingthem throughout the country is quite an import ant item. Anotherdisadvantagein the forms of blocks at present constructed is that inorder to ship these blocks, it is necessary to ship the legs and blockproper disassociated from each other, and in order to make the legdetachable from the block, it is customary to bore a hole in the blockand to form on the leg a dowel pin. From experience, it has been proventhat these dowels, owing -to climatic changes frequently swell orshrink, and great trouble is experienced in properly assembling theparts by the customer when the block is to be set up. Also with thatconstruction, the legs being secured to the block simply by the dowelpin, after so'me usage, the block tends to become Wabbly. Also in blocksas generally constructed, the top or chopping surface is formed of aplurality of blocks glued together, and it is a frequent occurrence forthese blocks to separate at the ends owing to the temperature ormoisture in the air affecting the glue at the ends, so that the spacesformed collect dirt and grease, and this feature is very objectionable.In the present form of invention, it is attempted to overcome theseseveral objections as well as providing for other ad* vantages, and incarrying 'out the invention broadly I have designed a block having afalse bottom, comprising a compartment formed from depending sidesinclosing the edges and ends of said top blocks, in combination withlegs detachably secured within said compartment to said top blocks andat another position secured from lateral or wabbly motion by auxiliarybraces at the lower portion of said compartment.

For the purpose of disclosure, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, illustrating a practical embodiment ofthe invention, in whichlike lettersdesignate the same parts in the several views, and in whichFigure l is a side elevation of the assembled block, with one of thefacing plates removed and showing the interior arrangement of the falsebottom or compartment, with one of the legs omitted to show the pocketsformed for the reception thereof, and Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view,showing the 'interior of the compartment and the bracing frames therein.

l designates a base member surmounted by a plurality of blocks 2 formingthe chopping surface, and these blocks 2 are closely fitted and gluedtogether and also may be glued to the base member l.

3 designate facing members which may be ornamented and which aresecurely affixed to the sides and ends of the blocks 2 and projectdownwardly a considerable distance below the base member l to form afalse bottom for the chopping block comprising a hollow base orcompartment. The inside face of the facing members 3 may lbe providedwitha suitable reinforcing meinb er illustrated in the drawings ascomprising the strips 4; gluedto inside faces of said members 3. At thebase of said top blocks or chopping surface are a plurality of recessesor pockets 5, and these may be formed inany suitable manner. In thedrawings, these are shown as being formed by a bracing frame affixed inany suitable way within said compartment adj acent the base member 1,and said bracing frame comprises intersecting cross bars 6 and 7 formingat their adjacent ends (as at 6a, 7a) with said facing members or theirreinforced strips rthe sockets 5 hereinbefore mentioned. It will beobserved that the ends of these intersecting crossbars 6 and 7 abutagainst the facing members or their reinforced stripS bracing ortrussing the walls of said compartment. These sockets are adapted toreceive the top ofthe legs 8 for supporting the blockfwhich leg tops arerecessed on two sides to forni the squared head S and the ledges 8b, thesquared head 8 being adapted to fit within the sockets 5 and the ledgesor IOO f will be observed, also shoulders 8b adapted to rest beneath andengage the adjacent edges of the intersecting bars 6 and 7.

In order to provide further rigidity to the support of the block and totake the strain off of the dowel or reduced end 8a of the legs,

the legs are further braced at the lower end of the compartment. Themeans shown for accomplishing this is illustrated in the drawings ascomprising a second bracing frame' located at the base of thecompartment and comprising intersecting bars 9 and i0, the ends of whichmay -be ysuitably aihxe'd as by gluing to the facing members lor theirreinforced portions and forming withsame the pockets 1l `of -greaterwidth than the sockets 5 and adapted to receive and brace the bodyportion of the legs.

This bracing fram-e, it braces or trusses laterally the lower portion ofthe walls of the false bottom or compartment and where the ends of thesecross bars Aare secured to the sides of y the compartment by means ofgluing, it may be desirable to use interposed glued corner.

blocks l2.

By the Vconstruction illustrated, it will be l seen that the legs may bereadily kdetached from or assembled with the block and when so assembledthe block, greatly reduced in; weight, is rigidly supported. It willYalso be l observed that if it is desired to raise the block,

top of the chopping squared head Sa of the legs to rest underneath isaid inserted. blocks. Thisfwil'l not militate against the stability ofthe chopping block inasmuch as the legs are also brac-ed at -anotherpoint, to-wit fat the base of the false f bottom or compartment. Whilenot essential, if

able form of screw or pin may be inserted through the walls of said base4compartment into the legs.

Having thus described the inventionwhat l l I claim is 2` 1. Inrabutchers chopping block, the lcoml bination with the top or choppingsurface,

provided with .parallel opposed depending sides forming a false bottomtherebelow comprising a deep rectangular compartment, of legs therefor,and means for detachably securing said legs to said chopping blockwithin said compartment, with said leg-s at 'two of their sidessubstantially labutting against the inside faces of said ydependingsides, substantially as described.

2. In a butchers chopping block, `the comi bination with the top forchopping surfacay provided with parallel opposed kdepending sidesforming a false bottom therebelow comprismg a deep rectangularcompartment, of

legs therefor, means for detachably securing said legs to said topWithin said compartment, with said legs at two of their sidessubstantially abutting against the inside faces of said. depending sidesand means for bracing said legs against lateral movement at the base ofsaid compartment, substantially as described.

3. In a butchers chopping block, the combination with the top orchopping surface `provided with 'sockets 0n its underneath face andhaving parallel opposed depending sides forming a false bottomcomprising a deep rectangular compartment, of legs detachably littingwithin said sockets, with said legs at two of their sides substantiallyabutting against the inside faces of said depending sides and means forbracing said legs against lateral movement at the bottom of saidcompartment, substantially as described.

4. In a chopping block, the combination with the top -or choppingsurface provided with sockets on its underneath face and hav ingdepending sides forming a false bottom comprising a deep compartment, oflegs detach-ably fitting within said sockets, and means for bracing saidlegs against lateral movement at the bottom of said compartment,comprising -corner braces secured to said sides and forming therewith.pockets inclosing said legs, substantially as described.

5. ln a chopping block, the combination with the top or chopping surfaceprovided with sockets on its underneath face and having depending lsidesforming a false bottom 'comprising a 'deep compartment, of legsdetachably means for bracing said legs against lateral movement at thebottom of said compartment, comprising a frame work formed from crossbars abutting at their ends against opposite sides of said compartmentand' at their adjacent ends forming with said sides desir/able, anysuirtpockets for the the reception of said legs, substantially asdescribed.

16. In a chopping block, the combination with a base, of a top orchopping surface mounted on said base and formed of blocks gluedtogether, facing members secured to the sidesrand endsof said blocks forprotecting them against separation and depending below vsaid top forming.a false bottom comprising a compartment, a bracing frame comprisingintersecting bars secured within said compartment adj acent said baseand forming sockets with said facing members, legs fitting in saidsockets, and means for bracing said legs against lateral movement at thebottom of said compartment, substantially as de- V. scribed.

7. In .a chopping block, the Lcombination 'with a base, of a top orchopping surface mounted on said base and formed of blocks gluedtogether, facing members secured to the sides andends of said blocksforprotecting the-m against separation and depending below said topforming a false bottom compris- IOO IIO

ing a compartment, a bracing frame comprising intersecting bars securedWithin said compartment adjacent said base and forming sockets with saidfacing members, legs fitting in said sockets, and means for bracing saidlegs against lateral movement at the bottom of said compartment,comprising a second frame formed from intersecting cross bars andforming With said facing members pockets for the reception of said,legs, substantially as described.

8. In a chopping block, the combination With a base, of a top orchopping surface mounted on said base and formed of blocks gluedtogether, facing members secured to the sides and ends of said blocksfor protect" ing them against separation and depending beloW said top,forming a false bottom comprising a compartment, a bracing framecomprising intersecting bars secured Within said compartment adjacentsaid base and forming sockets with said facing members, legs havingsquared ends recessed to form a tenon fitting said sockets, and a secondbracing frame secured Within said compartment at the bottom thereof andforming With said facing members pockets for the reception of said legs,substantially as described.

In testimonywhereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERICK J. SCHMITT. v Vitnesses:

W. F. HOPKINS, LEON CmoHEsTER.

